I decided to purchase this inexpensive VCR recorder/player(+DVD player)despite a number of negative reviews. It performs beyond my expectations. The quality of the VCR recording and playback is very good. It took some trial and error to hook it up to the external digital tuner that converts my analog TV to digital reception. And, because this Magnovox VCR recorder does not have its own internal tuner, it will record only the station that is set on the external tuner. You cannot record one channel while viewing another. But you can preset the timer to record a program even if the TV is turned off, so long as the external tuner is turned on.
My criticisms are (1)the difficulty identifying (reading)the controls on both the unit and the remote control, and (2)the relatively slow rewind. The red indicator lights on the unit are small and difficult to discern at a distance. The minscule, light numerals are the remote are difficult to read even close-up. But experience breeds familiarity and the unit and the remote become more user-friendly. Overall, within the limitations of the device, this is clearly a Best Buy.

-Anonymous

We've bought two of these items in the past eight months and had to return them for the same reason: the DVD portion just stopped working. It just wasn't worth it. I guess you do get what you pay for.

Better than Expected

on 2/23/2012

I decided to purchase this inexpensive VCR recorder/player(+DVD player)despite a number of negative reviews. It performs beyond my expectations. The quality of the VCR recording and playback is very good. It took some trial and error to hook it up to the external digital tuner that converts my analog TV to digital reception. And, because this Magnovox VCR recorder does not have its own internal tuner, it will record only the station that is set on the external tuner. You cannot record one channel while viewing another. But you can preset the timer to record a program even if the TV is turned off, so long as the external tuner is turned on.
My criticisms are (1)the difficulty identifying (reading)the controls on both the unit and the remote control, and (2)the relatively slow rewind. The red indicator lights on the unit are small and difficult to discern at a distance. The minscule, light numerals are the remote are difficult to read even close-up. But experience breeds familiarity and the unit and the remote become more user-friendly. Overall, within the limitations of the device, this is clearly a Best Buy.
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Don't bother

on 3/3/2012

We've bought two of these items in the past eight months and had to return them for the same reason: the DVD portion just stopped working. It just wasn't worth it. I guess you do get what you pay for.
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